Orange County Branch Newsletter

June 2013

Younger Member Forum

YMF - Presentation at UCI May 2013


By: Eric Walker

On May 15th, Eric Walker was invited by the UCI ASCE Student Chapter to present on transitioning from college to the workforce as well as the role ethics plays in engineering. The approximately 20 students in attendance from varying class levels all seemed to be pretty eager to learn about things they can do and ways to improve their chances of getting hired either for internships or full time positions. Topics for the presentation included: tips for putting together a resume, the importance of networking, effective communication in the workplace, how taking pride in your work and building trust in your abilities will benefit you, and how ethical conduct weaves through all of the topics and impacts our everyday lives. Many of the students seemed surprised at the vastness of the role Civil Engineers play in society and just how much of an impact we can make.

With regards to ethics, several concrete examples of dilemmas faced in the working world as well as ways Civil Engineers can take a more proactive role in public policy really drove home the importance of what we do as professionals serving the people. Some of the students even came up after the presentation to further discuss how students can get more active and contribute even before graduation. The president elect of the UCI Student Chapter said he would like to see the students get more involved with the Society in the coming school year and building a relationship with YMF to help foster the continued growth of the students as future members of the profession.

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